From Mili, Danica, Teodora:
For a moment it was so normal talking about sex, pleasure, kinks, sex toys, bodies,
alternative forms of relationships, contraception, using words penis and vulva loudly enough
to be certain that you’re not ashamed of saying it and more. I am so grateful for experiencing
such a safe space for letting ourselves practise that small part of what means to be free. We
had obviously talked a lot sorting all of the feelings and eventually just letting them sit with us
for a while. And after some days now, what still stayed so vivid are charms of 💫the
people💫.
Our Latvian adventure got colored by 25? inspiring people, they brought their
topics, their practices, knowledge, questions and yes, feel free to congratulate us if you want
to, but we just made new friends for way more than just a week in the woods of Gauja.
And then, there was movement. Sessions where bodies spoke when words were too heavy
or too small, where being present in one’s own skin meant being present with each other.
Sharing space in silence, laughter, in vulnerability. It felt like weaving threads of trust without
even naming them.
The conversations that followed carried the same depth. Stories unfolded about lives back
home, queer communities, the ways belonging is created where it doesn’t always exist and
the courage it takes to keep showing up in activism, in art, in care. Each story felt like a
lantern, it lit differently yet together making it impossible to feel in the dark.
Everything was held with intention. Organizers created a frame where diversity of voices
could come in and from there the group carried it further. Care and attention kept flowing:
checking in, holding space, making sure no one was left behind. WIthing the group truly felt
like every voice mattered, every need was noticed, every person was seen. It became
something deeply nourishing, built by everyone together,
What stayed especially vivid was the beautiful paradox. Being surrounded by people so
strong and fierce, clear and loud in defending rights and freedom, while at the same time
witnessing how tenderly they treated each other. That contrast made the space feel even
more alive, showing that resistance and gentleness are not opposites but companions.
For a week it felt like stepping into a version of the world that already knows how to be kind.
And maybe that’s what made it so powerful – living, even briefly, in the proof that such a
world is possible.
And in the end, what left the strongest impression on me was how simple it was for all of us
to just exist, as we are, without masks or filters, and still be met with warmth and kindness.
It’s rare to find a space where you don’t have to hide your colors, and that’s exactly what
made this experience unforgettable.